Piano, Organ & Other Keyboard Instruments

All enquiries to the Section Co-Ordinator
Mrs Fiona Austen, 07724 903212, Email

Fiona Austen studied solo piano at the Royal No More ... Fiona Austen studied solo piano at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester after studying as a specialist musician at Wells Cathedral School.  Since then she has enjoyed a long and varied career as a music teacher and performer, working in a number of schools throughout the UK and giving recitals in many different venues.  She is also a harpist, and currently teaches both piano and harp in three local schools as well as privately.  Fiona took part in Music Festivals herself as a child, and has since entered her own pupils for Festivals many times.  As a passionate teacher, she loves preparing pupils for Festivals and seeing the inspiration they gain from the experience of performing and hearing others perform, sharing a love of music together

Sometimes Levels are given rather than grades. For details please click here

GUIDANCE

Where reference has been made either to a specific grade, or to terms such as elementary, intermediate etc, or to a level expressed in Grades, it is expected that entrants, parents, and especially teachers, will bear in mind that it is in the spirit of the festival to try to adhere carefully to the standards suggested by the the relevant grade.  If in any doubt about the level of a piece then teachers should not hesitate to contact the Keyboard Section Co-ordinator who will be happy to give guidance.  

Whilst it is obviously acceptable to play an exam piece in the festival, wider repertoire is strongly encouraged, in the context of the above advice.

Candidates may play only one piece in each class, unless the description of the class expressly states otherwise.

Within any class, the adjudicator will pay more heed to the standard of the performance than to the level of difficulty of the piece. 

Adjudicator: Robin Page MA Cantab, LRAM

Robin has extensive experience as a Festival Adjudicator with Music for Youth at The Royal Festival Hall and at Birmingham Symphony Hall, and at Festivals throughout the UK including: Glasgow, Ayr, Mid-Argyll, Dundee, Carrickfergus, Blackpool, Derby, Dumfries, Swindon, Ealing, Worthing, Bournemouth, Southampton, Bath, Camborne, Truro, Isle of Wight and Guernsey. Robin has examined for the ABRSM for over 30 years in the UK and the Far East, including Diplomas.

He was Professor of Conducting at Kneller Hall in the 2000s and has taught and conducted at the Royal Academy of Music London, Birmingham Conservatoire, Royal Scottish Conservatoire, Aberdeen University, Kingston University and the Purcell School.

Robin’s conducting career has included engagements with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, RPO Pops, BBC Ulster Orchestra, Guildford Philharmonic Orchestra, Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra, Nordic Chamber Orchestra (Sweden), Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, Estonian State Symphony Orchestra, Polish Radio Orchestra, Bulgarian Film Orchestra and Amor Artis Orchestra (New York). Choirs include Kingston Choral Society, West Sussex Philharmonic Choir and the Halle Chorus.

He was educated at Magdalen College School, Oxford (as a choral scholar), at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge (as a Choral Exhibitioner) and as a post-graduate at the Royal Academy of Music, London.